“Mango Rain” Hospitality

When we lived in Guinea, West Africa, we witnessed the beauty of
hospitality. There’s even a proverb that states: “An unexpected visitor is
like an unexpected rain.”

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We lived through two seasons each year: six months of rainy season, and six
months of dry season. We always loved the “mango rains”—the rare,
unexpected downpours that came out of nowhere during dry season. Children
could be seen running through the rain, fully dressed, laughing with
delight.

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Hospitality comes more naturally to some of us than it does to others. When
you hear a knock on your door, but you’re not expecting anyone, how do you
respond? Does it make you excited, or do you find yourself thinking
something like: “Who could that be at this hour?” “Did anyone call to say
they were coming?” “Everyone hide and be quiet—maybe they will go away!”

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In the Bible, God repeatedly calls His people to practice hospitality.
Thankfully, He also gives us the ability to do so through the Holy Spirit.
So, how can we practice hospitality? The Greek word translated
“hospitality” in the Bible is “philoxenia,” which basically means “loving
strangers” because Philo=Love and Xenia=Stranger. Not at all
like “xenophobia,” which means fear of strangers or outsiders!

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In Matthew 25, Jesus says that when He returns bodily to earth, He will
commend His people for inviting Him in when He was a stranger. But when
they ask, “Lord… When did we see you a stranger and invite you in…?”
(verse 37-38), He will answer, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one
of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (verse
40). So, when we welcome strangers (or outsiders), we show our love for
Jesus!

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As Christians, we can show hospitality to others because God has shown the
greatest hospitality to us. Through Jesus’s death and resurrection, God
has welcomed us into His family! Though we used to be outsiders and
strangers, we are now “fellow citizens with God’s people” (Ephesians 2:19).
From the abundance of love that God has given us, we can share with others.

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When you think of practicing hospitality, think of this picture: children
standing in the rain, arms out, heads back, eyes closed, mouths open—sheer
joy! • Daniel Dore

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• Can you think of a time someone showed you hospitality
or philoxenia? What did they do?

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• According to today’s Bible passages, what might it look like to “practice
hospitality”?

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Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Romans
12:13 (NIV)

Read Verses:

Lev.19.34|Rom.12.9-Rom.12.13|1Pet.4.8-1Pet.4.10